Developing Your Kids’ Conversation Skills Around the Dinner table 
 
Have you ever found yourself in a group of people of varying ages and noticed that some young adults and teens will struggle to have hold conversations? Regardless of age, education, leadership roles, the ability to carry on a conversation in groups is a skill. So how can you help a person who is struggling to find the words, or engage another in conversation? How can you help your children to develop these skills for themselves? 
 
How is Conversation Modeled at your House? 
Growing up, we learn basically by being modeled or taught. A healthy conversation includes eye contact, reading body language, showing interest, empathetic listening, and offering feedback. It won’t happen in front of a computer, TV or smart phone. 
Dinnertime is often the best setting to have conversations as a family. Studies have shown that children develop a richer vocabulary; have higher grades, self-esteem, and resilience when they have a strong connection to their families.  Most likely, it’s not the food that’s making this difference but the quality interactions happening at the table. 
Dream Dinners offers a time saving, cost effective solution to making dinnertime easier for the whole family. There are six Dream Dinners stores in the San Diego area, each designed to help families by doing the meal planning and preparation for them.  On-line, guests make their entrée selections from a restaurant style menu that varies monthly and schedules a session at the Dream Dinners store.  Once there, they spend about an hour assembling a month’s worth of meals which they take home and freeze for use in the weeks ahead.  The benefit of meal assembly saves so much time!  No more menu planning, big shopping trips, putting ingredients all away, and then trying to muster enough energy to figure out dinner after a busy day.  With Dream Dinners, time in the kitchen and clean-up is quick and easy!  
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How Can You Develop Your Kid’s Conversation Skills? 
Tips for Developing Conversations: 
·  Study your family calendar and choose when you can all be there for dinner. 
· Be interested and show interest by asking thoughtful questions.  
· Let everyone have a chance to share. Keep conversations flowing by teaching your kids to listen as well as contribute to the conversation. 
· Ask follow-up questions like, ‘How did that make you feel? What would it have been like if _______?  
· Tell funny stories, jokes, and share silly observations.  
· Notice expressions and name them. ‘You look (worried, sad, frustrated), what’s going on? 
· Offer praise, encouragement, support, and acceptance. 
· If your child is quiet and doesn’t know what to say, suggest they try repeating or rephrasing the last thing the other person just said.   
Our families have, no doubt, been inundated by all kinds of messages during their day; many of them negative. Resolve that family dinners become a sanctuary in your home with nurturing conversation. You will be amazed at what kind of adults your children become! 
Building families…one meal at time.